Arvind Kejriwal’s strategy: does he have any other option?

Open another front, bypass, divert attention, concentrate forces to strike are some of the well-known military strategies which the political class, the media and the pseudo – intellectuals seem to have adopted while reacting to Arvind Kejriwal’s exposes. The issue that this individual is raising is corruption and poor governance but people seem to be concentrating on his antecedents, his shoot and scoot tactics, his arrogance etc. Are these issues relevant in the face of the bigger questions being raised by him? Do they reduce the significance of the issues in question in any way? Will anyone even care to listen to a polite and a soft spoken Kejriwal?

Let us answer a few questions honestly. Haven’t we reached a point of no return in the matter of corruption in this country? You put a finger in anything and there is wrong doing. Take CWG, 2G, Coal, NGOs, irrigation, power, Defence, Police, Space Research, Wakf Board Land, NHRM, NREGA, Food Grain, Granite, Highways, Oil for food, Hawala, fodder, arms drop, mining, stamp paper, Hasan Ali black money, Provident Fund, KG Basin Oil, the list is never ending. Have the political class and the Government exhibited any genuine concern in putting an end to the endless scams and corruption sweeping the country? Has the situation improved in the last four decades to display any sense of optimism? Does anyone think that the existing laws and institutions in the country will bring to an end this perennial menace through their normal processes? In any case why have these institutions and laws remained a mute spectator to the goings on all these days? Or have we resigned to accept that we and the future generation of this country will have to subsist and perish the way we are today?

To the critics, my question is, does anyone have a better solution to bring about the desired changes and reforms within a definite time frame under the present dispensations? Will the current lot of political parties rise above corruption to bring about good governance? Are Rahul Gandhi, Nitin Gadkari, Mulayam Singh, Mayawathi, Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha, Lalu Prasad or Deve Gowda the solution?

Arvind Kejriwal along with Anna Hazare tried to force the Government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill to find a way to control corruption. But a political class which thinks that it had made a mistake by enacting the Right to Information Act (RTI) wouldn’t want to make a similar mistake for a second time by enacting the Lokpal Bil, something which had been kept in cold storage since 1968. Predictably, all the nine attempts to revive the Bill have borne no fruit till date. The political parties have shown no inclination towards other essential reforms such as electoral, police, judicial reforms etc. Left with no option, he perhaps chose to take the political route to find a way out. Is there anything wrong in him taking up politics as a means to achieve something which has been eluding him through other means? As is usual, some tried finding fault in this move.

I believe his present strategy has evolved based on his assessment of his own strengths and weaknesses in the political field. This man is not endowed with the type of money or the resources which the political parties in India have. His doesn’t seem to have the muscle power which is essential in India to fight an election. Being new to the field, he practically has no established organization or cadre to steer his party forward. There is very little time before the General Elections. If he delays, the pest has the potentials of breeding in geometric progression.

His only strength is the people and that too only if he can wean them away from the corrupt politicians and political parties in the country. For this he needs to make the people realize that what is happening in the name of governance is nothing but anarchy and plunder. The people need to know that the wealth of the country instead of flowing into our land and improving the quality of life of the people is being diverted to fill the coffers of a few. Had all the stolen wealth of this country been utilized for development, the very face of India would have been different. People will have to be helped to see through the smooth talking crooks. It is an irony that the British, a foreign power plundered the country before independence and our own people have taken up that business in full earnest today.

Some are of the opinion that Kejriwal is raising too many corruption issues and is thus losing focus. They feel that he should concentrate on a few issues take them to the court and bring them to their logical conclusion. Sounds logical but see the practicalities. Going by the past, corruption cases involving the high and mighty cannot be brought to a logical conclusion and the guilty punished in any reasonable time. Even if the cases are pursued vigorously, one is not too sure if the prosecuting agencies will produce the right evidences and witness in the courts thus leaving a loophole for the guilty to go scot free. How many worthwhile politicians have been punished in the last four decades? Those who were sent to jail are back to business as usual. If people can be believed, most of them seem to be preparing themselves to fight the next elections. Yes, they are enjoying the fruits of their ill-gotten wealth.

With so many cases of corruption being unearthed almost on a daily basis, if Kejriwal is to bring all of them to their logical conclusion, he will have no option but to shift his bed to the court premises. Imagine the money, time, effort and the legal support needed for the purpose. Exposing every corrupt leader and party at this juncture is essential to shift the mistaken perceptions of the gullible and convince the people of the existing malice. Kejriwal is a whistle blower and it is for the Government or the courts to take cognizance of the issue, investigate the case impartially, prosecute the guilty and punish them. Certainly it is not the job of a common man to run around and bring the guilty to book.

Arvind Kejriwal along with Aruna Roy and others succeeded in getting the RTI passed in 2005. He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Emergent Leadership category in 2006 for his work related to the movement. He has brought about awareness amongst the people about the corrupt state of our political class and the Government. Given the odds against him, one cannot predict if this awareness will transform into votes in the immediate future. Going by his pronouncements it appears that he may not be averse to honest politicians contesting elections irrespective of party affiliations. If he can succeed in forcing the political parties in keeping the corrupt, the criminal elements and the power brokers out of the electoral battle, he would have achieved a lot. As far as the people are concerned, Arvind Kejriwal is not important but his mission definitely is.

The corruption game has gone on for a bit too long past niceties, patience and any hope of propriety within the political class. It is not a time for dissecting the issue or finding fault with the crusaders. The political class we are told have an unwritten code not to target the family members of politicians. The inferences are unambiguous. In this milieu Kejriwal is fighting a lone battle. Indications are that the political classes are closing ranks cutting across party affiliations to target the activist. Considering the enormity of the problem, may be the country needs many more Kejriwals and earnest workers to take the message to the people. What we need now is focus and targeted action by the society as a whole to fix the menace.

Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) had recommended reduction of power tariff by 23 % as early as 2010 but this had been stalled and the people were made to shell out exorbitant price at a time when the poor and the middle class were reeling under uncontrolled inflation. The prices have now been slashed after a ruckus had been created. This perhaps is the only way to mend things.

The corruption cases raised by Kejriwal seem to have lot in them as subsequent investigations by media reveal. These cases warrant unbiased probe and prosecution. If we do not act now and force a change, it would be a missed opportunity never to be retrieved.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Author

Brigadier (retd) V Mahalingam, has held varying command and staff appointments in his 35 years of Army service. He specializes in security related matters and is a leadership trainer. His areas of interest include national security, defence and security forces, governance, and politics.

Brigadier (retd) V Mahalingam, has held varying command and staff appointments in his 35 years of Army service. He specializes in security related matters a. . .

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Author

Brigadier (retd) V Mahalingam, has held varying command and staff appointments in his 35 years of Army service. He specializes in security related matters and is a leadership trainer. His areas of interest include national security, defence and security forces, governance, and politics.

Brigadier (retd) V Mahalingam, has held varying command and staff appointments in his 35 years of Army service. He specializes in security related matters a. . .